CA2342848A1

CA2342848A1 - Packaging material with a polyolefin foam layer

Info

Publication number: CA2342848A1
Application number: CA002342848A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ulrich Reiners; Michel Pittet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Convenience Food Systems BV
Priority date: 1998-09-02
Filing date: 1999-08-24
Publication date: 2000-03-16
Also published as: US7070852B1; AU5739399A; DK1117526T3; NO20011044D0; DE59903348D1; ATE227211T1; NO20011044L; PL346399A1; PT1117526E; WO2000013886A1; ES2186404T3; EP1117526A1; JP2002524302A; DE19840046A1; EP1117526B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-layered film consisting of layers arranged in the following order: A) a base layer made of polyolefin foam, B) a layer consisting of at least one polyolefin foam layer A), C) optionally, a polyolefin connecting layer, D) optionally a gas-tight and/or aroma-tight barrier layer, F) a bonding-agent layer, G) an optionally sealable and/or peelable surface layer, whereby the overall thickness of layers A) and B) ranges from 0.5mm to 2 mm and the thickness of layer B) corresponds to 1/6 - 1/3 of the thickness of layer A).

Description

LLI':I 1 Packaging Maa,:_~aal Wifih A Polyolefiro Foam layer The invention is in the field of packaging industry and relates to packaging material comprising a polyalefin foam layer having on one of its surfaces 5 further layers.
Packaging materials with a foam Jayer of e. g. polypropylene in the form of quasi endless robed webs are used for producing thermoformed self-supporting packaging items as e. g. trays for food. Therefore these kinds ll7 of packaging materials are formed on so called "form-fill-seal" packaging machines ("FFS-machines°) to packaging items. According to this method the web of packaging material is fed into the machine in which it is formed into a web of trays which trays in the same machine are filled and sealed with a preferable transparent sealing film. Then usually the trays are 15 separated from each other.
In the known packaging materials the polypropylene foam layer is carrying on at least one of its surfaces further Payers. Depending on the composition and the thickness of these layers these layers may also serve 2~ as further means for increasing the stiffness as well as protection of the foam layer surface yr as gas andlor aroma barrier and~or as surface layer for bounding the packaging tray and a preferable transparent lidding film.
Packaging materials with a polypropylene foam layer for producing trays ?S by thermoforming are disclosed e. g. in EP-A-0 570 :~2~. These materials comprise a foam layer and a muitilayer film which multilayer flm may include a barrier layer rendering the packaging material gas- andlor aroma tight. The properties of this multilayer packaging material need some improvement as far as the use of this material as self-supporting 3a packaging items is concerned.
Therefore it is has been proposed to bond the foam sheet with the multilayer film by means of a bonding layer of a polyolefin based on the main monomer of the patyoiefin of the foam layer (WO 96125290). This results in an excellent arihesian between the laminate and the foam layer.
However the packaging items especially self-supporting ones produced from this known multilayer flm composition are not rigid enough for some applications.

Therefore there is a need to improve the stiffness of such packaging items, preferably trays, without increasing the thickness of the packaging material. Besides improving the mechanical properties of the packaging material there is also a demand to provide a packaging material suitable IU for thermoforming over a broader temperature range in order to achieve a faster production of packaging items_ According to the present invention, this object is achieved by providing a multilayer film comprising the following sequence of layers:

A) a base layer of a polyolefn foam, B) a layer based on at least one polyolefin of the foam layer A), C} optionally a tie layer composed of a polyolefin, which is preferably based on the monomer that is the main monomer of fibs polyolefin fit) of the foam Payer A), D) optionally an adhesive layer, E) optionally a gas- andlor flavortight barrier layer, F') an adhesive layer, G) an optionally sealable andlor peelable surface layer, whereby the total thickness of layers A) and B) ranges from Q,5 to 2 mm and the thickness of Payer B) ranges from'!s to'Iz of tE~e thickness of layer A).
30 Preferably the tofial thickness of the layers A) and B) ranges from 0,6 to 1,4 mm and the thickness of layer B) is from'l6 to'13 of the thickness of layer A)_ The foam layer A; consists of at least one foamed polyolefin. For producing packaging items such as trays.applicable in food packaging foamed propylene- homo- andlor-copolymers are used advantageously as such materials are self-supporting with lower thickness and lower 5 density. A mixture of polyolefins can also be used for the manufacture of the foam layer. A mixture of polypropylene with long chain branching (high-melt-strength polypropylene) and a propylene ethylene copolymer (e. g, heterophasic propylene ethylene blackcopolymer) can preferably be used, Particularly suitable is a mixture of a polypropylene with long chain l0 branching and a melt-index (MFI} in the range of '1,4 to 4,2 g1~0 min and a hetervphasic propylene ethylene block copolymer in a mixing ratio of ~i:9.
The polyolefin of layer A) can be foamed by addition of solid, liquid andlor gaseous blowing agents in known amounts preferable in an amount of 0,5 15 to 3 wt.%_ The relevant disclosure of EP-A-0 570 222 is herewith cited as referential disclosure for the present application.
Foam foyers of polyolefins, preferable of polypropylene, optionally admixed with copolymers of olefins, preferable with propylene ethylene 20 copolymers, used for the production of packaging materials preferably have a density of 0,1 to 0,8 glcrn3, preferably 0,25 tv 0,5 g/cm3, and a cell count of ~5 to 300 cells per mm3. Density and cell count can be influenced by the process conditions like, e_g., extrusion temperature or other process condition during the preferred method for producing foam layers, 25 namely by extrusion and expansion.
Layer B) of compact potyofefin essentially consists of a polyolefin of the foamed layer A). In case the basis layer A) is made of a foamed polypropylene yr a foamed mixture of polypropylene and propylene 3t3 ethylene copolymer the compact polyolefin layer B) is preferably made either of polypropylene or a propylene ethylene copolymer. Particularly preferred a heterophasic propylene ethylene blvekcopolymer is used. The melt inde ; (MFI) of the polyolefin used for the manufacture of layer B) I l l':'. 1 ranges preferably from 1,8 to 5,5 g110 rr~i,~_ The thickness of layer B) is'ls to'I2, most preferably'16 ta'/3 of the thickness of layer A).
Layer C) is present when layers D) to G) are pre-produced by coextrusion 5 preferable by blown film coextrusion and to be combined with the other layers. Layer C) is based on a polyolefin which is preferably made from a monomer which is also the main rtionomer of the polyolefin of the foam layer A). In case layer A) corysists of a foamed polypropylene and optionally a propylene ethylene copolymer, layer C) can be made of 10 polypropylene optionally grafted with malefic acid anhydride. Copolymers of ethylene vinylacetate can also be used as materials for layers C). The thickness of layer C) ranges preferably from 5 fo 25, most preferably from 8 to 15 pm.
1 ~ In case the inventive muttilayer film should have a low gas permeabiiiiy, i.e, a low permeability of oxygen and moisture and a high flavor tightness it comprises a barrier layer E). This barrier layer is preferably made of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene content of 32 to 45 Mal%, preferably 35 to 42 Mol%.

The barrier layer E) is bonded an its respective surfaces to the tie layer C) ar to the surface protecting layer G) by means of an adhesive layer D) or F), respectively. The material used for this is preferably a propylene copolymer or a polyethylene grafted with malefic acid anhydride, 25 respectively.
The surface protecting layer G) is preferably sealable or peelable. Thus, preferably law density polyethylene {LDPE) having a melt index {MFI) in the range of 0,5 to ~,0 gJip min, preferably of 1 to 5 8110 min (2,1~ kg, 30 190°C measured according to ASTM D 1238) or a ionorner polymer like, e.g., a copolymer of an a,-olefin and an ethylenically unsatured monomer with a carboxylic group, which are present in an amount of 20 to 100 % by weight as metal salt, preferably Zn-sale, or ethylene-vinylacetate ai!'~ r f;apolymers with a vinylacetate content of 3 to 10 °f° by weight, preferably 4 to 6 % by weight is used for the manufacture of the sealable layer.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment the sealing layer is also l peeJable. The sealing Layer then preferably comprises a mixture of LDPE
and polybutylene (PB). To this end the mixture comprises 15 to 30 weight °l°, preferably 20 to 28 weight % of polybutylene. The melt index (NIFI) of the polybutylene is preferably in the range of 0,3 to 2,4 g/10 min {190°C
and 2,15 kg, ASTM 1238).
? C~
Preferabty the thickness of the surface layer is in the range of 10 to 50 ~rrn, preferably 15 to 30 pin.
When using LDPE as a sealing layer material arid the inventive multilayer 15 film comprises a barrier layer, usually an adhesive layer is required for connecting the barrier layer and the sealing layer, unless ethylene vinyl alcohol is used as material for the barrier layer. As adhesive material a polyolefin, preferably a polyethylene grafted wifih malefic acid anhydride may be used.

A LDPE and LLDPE mixture can also be used in a ratio from 3.1 to 4:1 as adhesive material. The thickness of the respective adhesive layer ranges from 2 to 8 pin, preferably from 3 to 0 pin.
25 The surface layer G} may contain usual and known lubricating agents and anti-blocking agents, as, for example, erucic acid amide, polyalkylsiloxane, such as for example polydimethyl siloxane andlor 5iC?~. All or individual layers can contain stabilizers and further additives of known kind.
30 Furthermore layer B) can contain 0,5 to 2 % by weight of a white pigment like, e.g., kaolin, calcium carbonate, talcum or titanium dioxide or mixtures thereof. These inorganic pigments are added to the polymer of which layer B) is made, preferably in form of a master batch containing 30 to 50 % by ',~i' ~

weighf of pigments, Layer B) can also be composed of up to 30 % by weight of recycled inventive multiiayerfilm material.
Ths muitilayer film according to the invention is preferably produced by the usual blown film coextrusion or cast film coextrusion processes as far as the production of the sequence of layers C) to G) is concerned and preferably by an extrusion lamination step for combining with the polyolefin foam layer A), Thereby the foam layer A) and the muttilayer film consisting of layers G) to G) are guided together in such a way that layer B) is J;0 extruded between them. Immediately after the extrusion a sufficiently high pressure is applied to the so produced laminate, so that layers A) to G) are sufficiently bonded to one another.
However it is also possible to produce the inventive rnultilayer films by 15 coextrusion, whereby the foam layer A) is simultaneously coextruded with the other layers, optionally without layer C), and by expanding layer Ay.
The inventive multilayer films have an excellent thermoformability on so calied FFS--machines (form-fiil and sealing machines) and thus can be 20 formed to packaging items preferable to trays by deep drawing. These trays can also be filled and sealed on the same machine. ltwas surprising to find out that the rnultilayer films according to the present invention cannot only be excellently processed on these FFS~machines but can also be formed to packaging items, particularly deep drawn trays with a higher 25 speed when compared to known multilayer packaging materials.
The inventive mulfiilayer films show an unexpected improvement of the mechanical properties such as resistance to breaking and stiffness of the E-~rnodulus, although their Iota! thickness is reduced compared to known 30 comparable packaging materials. This considerable improvement is achieved without any increase of the thickness of the muitilayer films which is being required as for the films known from the prior art_ Surprisingly the mechanical properties are even improved althcugh the total thickness of the multilayer paokaging material is reduced.

' I ''a l'': l A further object of the invention is therefore the use of the multiiayer film according to the present invention as packaging material, preferably on form-, fill- and sealing machines (I=FS-machines) for packaging of food, especially for packaging of perishable food such as melt, ham or sliced 5 meat. Because packaging on FFS-machines is very often carried out discontinuously in order to pack differnt goods, the packaging material most show a relatively broad sa called thermoforming window in which the thermo-forming of the flm can occur. This is achieved by providing the inventive packaging material, which has excellent thermo-formability, 10 espeoiatly deep drawing qualities.
The thermo-formed, preferably deep-drawn, packaging items, such as, e.g., deep drawn trays, which can be produced from the multilayer materials according to the present invention can be sealed with known J ~ lidding -hlm after they have been filled. Suitable lidding films are multilayer films, preferably from polyethylene terephthalatelSiOxladhesive layerllow density polyethylene or from polyethylene terephthalateladhesive layer/polyethyleneladhesive layerlethylene vinyl alcvho) copotymerladhesivel layerlpolyethyJene.

of the above mentioned liddlng films, the first-mentioned multilayer flms are particularly suitable. Therefore the biaxialty oriented polyethylene terephthalate is coated with SiOX by plasma vacuo technique. In a following step the prefabricated polyethylene film is laminated thereto with 25 an adhesive. Such a lidding film is characterized by a excellent transparency and a high breaking resistance. The packaging items having such a lidding film show an excellent gas barrier property.
In the following examples the E-modulus is determined according to D1N
30 43457 in the machine direction and transverse to this direction.
Furthermore he elongation at lareak in the machine direction and transverse thereto Is determined according to DIN 53455.

Examples;
Example 1:
5 An inventive multilayer film is produced with the following sequence of layers_ Layer A) Foam layer with a densify of 0,3 glcm3 and a cell count of 720 cells per mm3 made of a 50:60 wt a/o mixture of a lU polypropylene with long chain branchirig (high melt strength polypropylene) and a heteraphasic propylene ethylene blackcopolymer, Layer B) consists of 700 % by weight of heterophasic propylene ethylene block copolymer like the one used far foam layer X 5 layer A), Layer C) consists df polypropylene, Layer D) consists of an adhesive based on polypropylene grafted with malefic acid anhydride, Layer E) as a gas barrier layer consisting of an ethylene vinylalcohol ?0 copolymer, Layer F} as adhesive layer having the same composition as Layer D), Layer G} as a sealing layer based on tow density polyethylene.

The multilayer film is produced by ca-e>ctrusion.

The thickness of the individual layers are set forth in table 1.
Table 1:
Layer ._ A) B) C) D} E~ F) G) Total ... _ _ Thickness in 5 pm . ...
.
_ _.....
..

8.

ci';, ~

The rnechanical properties of said fim are set forth in table 3.
Comparative example:
5 A multilayer film having an identical layer sequence as wel! as identical layer compositions, but different thicknesses c~f layers is produced corresponding to the multiiayer-film according to exarrrple 1.
The thickness of the individual layers of this multilayer film is set forth in table 2:
Table 2.
! layer A) ~) C) ,.p)E) F) ~) Tote!
~ ~1 Thickness in '! 40 15 5 5 5 20 1254 ~tm 1 ~0 The mechanical properties of this multilayer Flm are set forth in table 3.
Table 3:
._ unit ex. 1 cornp.w ex.
E-modulus {machine direction) Nlmm 788 564' ! E-modulus (transverse direction) ~N/mm 584 426 Elongation at break (machine direction) N/mm 10,2 6,9 Elongation at break (transverse direction) Nlmm 8,4 5,6 As can be seen from table 3, the inventive multilayar films have far superior mechanical values, even though the total thickness of the film is less than of the known packaging materials. Therefore the inventive multilayer films are by far superior for the production of self supporting 2S packaging, particularly deep drawn trays.

Claims

Claims:

1. A multilayer film comprising the following sequence of layers:
A) a basis layer of foamed propylene homo- and/or copolymer or mixtures thereof, B) a layer based on at least one of the polyolefins of the foam layer A), optionally a tie layer based an a polyolefin o) optionally an adhesive layer, E) optionally a gas- and/or flavortight barrier layer, F) an adhesive layer, G) an optionally sealable or peelable surface layer, whereby the total thickness of layers A) and B) ranges from 0,5 to 2 mm and the thickness of layer B) ranges from 1/6 to 1/2 of the thickness of layer A).

2. A multilayer film according to claim 1, characterized in that the fatal thickness of layers A) and B) ranges from 0,6 to 1 ,4 mm.

3. A multilayer film according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness of layer B) ranges from 1/6 to 1/3 of the thickness of layer A).

4. A multilayer film according to one or more of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that layer A) is made of a foamed mixture of polypropylene with long chain branching and a propylene-ethylene-blockcopolymer.

5. A multilayer film according to one or more of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that layer B) is made of polypropylene or a propylene-ethylene-copolymer.

6. A multilayer film according to one or more of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that layer C) is made of a polyolefin based on the monomer that is the main monomer of the polyolefins of foam layer A).

7. A multilayer film according to claim 6, characterized in that the polyolefin is polypropylene.

8. A multilayer film according to one or more of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that layer E) is made of ethylene-vinylalcohol-copolymer.

9. A multilayer film according to one or more of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that layer G) is made of a sealable polymer and optionally contains the known additives.

10. A multilayer film according to claim 9, characterized in that layer G) is made of a low density polyethylene or an ionamer

11. A multilayer film according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that layer G) is made of a peelable polymer and optionally contains the known additives.

12. A multilayer film according to claim 11, characterized in that layer G) is made of a mixture of low density polyethylene and a polybutylene

13. A multilayer film according to one ar more of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the total thickness of layers C) to G) ranges tram 20 to 70 µm.

14. A multilayer film according to claim 13, characterized in that the total thickness is 30 to 50 µm.

15. Use of the multilayer film according to one or more of claims 1 to 14 as packaging material.

16. Packaging item made of a film according to claims 1 to 14.

17. Packaging tray made of a film according to claims 1 to 14.

18. Packaging item according to claim 16 or 17 for packaging food.

19. Packaging item according to claim 18 for packaging meat, sausage, cheese.

20. Use of a film according to one or more claims 1 to 14 as packaging material on form-, fill- and sealing packaging machines.